An Immersive Virtual Reality Training Environment for CBRN Procedures

Abstract

First responders are exposed to numerous hazards and must be well prepared to act under dangerous conditions. This is especially true for operators working in the domain of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear), who need high-quality training to avoid fatal errors and ensure the success of operations. However, CBRN practice sessions can reproduce only approximated, low-fidelity versions of real scenarios, whereas highly detailed simulations should be preferred. To address this issue, the authors developed a prototype of an immersive virtual reality (VR) training platform in cooperation with CBRN experts from the Italian Air Force. The devised platform is an improved version of an existing tool and offers a digital training ground where operators can learn CBRN procedures and test their abilities in a realistic virtual environment without facing the risks normally associated with real hazardous scenarios.